Shawn and the Slammys
by MASHFAN
Summary: Backstage with Shawn and Hunter before the 2009 Slammy awards :


_A fic I wrote almost a year ago, and ran across today and wanted to share :) Takes place backstage at the 2009 Slammys Raw (the one where Shawn accepts the Slammy for the first Shawn-Taker match and challanges Taker to Shawn-Taker II. Inspired when I look up stats and discovered that Mr. Wrestlemania won match of the year for his Wrestlemania match every year the Slammys have actually been held since he's been a singles competitor, and also after rewatching Wrestlemania 25 how Shawn-Taker killed the crowd for the rest of the show :) And of course by my love for HBK._

"I know it preserves the authenticness of the awards and that kind of thing, but it sucks that even we can't know the Slammy results before hand...I mean, it's kind of hard to plan a show surrounding the awards if we don't even know who is going to be speaking." complained Hunter to his tag partner and best friend, Shawn Michaels, after returning to the locker room from a brief creative meeting before that night's RAW. It was situations like this that Hunter sometimes wished he wasn't at all involved in the creative work in the WWE.

Granted, he wasn't 100% involved in creative like his wife, but nonetheless.

Shawn laughed. "It's the price of Vince McMahon being insane and determined to keep things as true for the fans as possible."

"Yeah, well, did you know they had to do a pre-taping for all four of the nominees for the Guest Host of the Year because they have no way of knowing who they needed to show up?"

"I was wondering how they were going to handle that, but figured it was someone else's problem to figure out." Shawn shrugged. At Hunter's scowl, Shawn said, "Come on Hunt, the Slammys aren't that bad. They're actually pretty fun."

Hunter rolled his eyes. "Says the guy who's nominated for three of them this year, came close to doing a clean-sweep of everything he was eligible for in the '96 slammys, and who's won Match of the Year every time the slammys have been held since he's been in the WWE."

Shawn was taken aback. "Really? I've won it EVERY time?" He thought about it, legitimately stunned when he realized his friend was right. "I didn't even realize that."

Hunter sighed in exasperation. "You know, Shawn, I almost miss the days when you were good and you KNEW it, even if it came off as arrogant."

Shawn childishly stuck out his tongue and made a face. "Oh, Ha Ha."

Just then Vince McMahon stuck his head in the room. "Ah, there you are Shawn." He walked in. "We're doing the final decisions on who's going to present the awards, and thought it would probably be a good idea to get your input. Who do you think should present Match of the Year?"

Shawn blinked. "Not that I'm complaining, but why do I get to decide?"

Hunter reached out and smacked him upside the head. "Well, duh…because you're going to be the one accepting it. You seriously think there's even the slightest chance you and 'Taker won't take that one? Idiot."

"My thoughts exactly." Agreed Vince.

"Come on, guys, it's not a foregone conclusion."

They both stared at him as if he'd gone nuts. Then Hunter narrowed his eyes. "Yes it is, and you KNOW it is. You're fully expecting to win, you're just playing humble!" Hunter pointed at him accusingly. "You'd be totally pissed off and disappointed if you didn't get that award, and you know it!"

"Alright." Shawn admitted sheepishly. "You caught me." At Hunter's knowing look, he added, "Hey, the night of Wrestlemania you yourself sarcastically thanked me for killing the crowd and said no one could possible follow it. Blame yourself for my big head!"

Hunter hadn't missed the pride Shawn hadn't been able to completely keep out of his voice when he mentioned killing the crowd and being impossible to follow, and suddenly came to a realization he couldn't believe he hadn't realized before. "You little…you did it on purpose!" he exclaimed as a few things fell into place. "Not that you don't ALWAYS put on a good match at 'mania anyway, or that you and 'Taker wasn't destined to be a classic, but you very deliberately stole that show and killed the crowd! You were pissed that Vince hadn't made you and 'Taker main event!"

Shawn ducked his head to hide his sheepish yet prideful smirk as Hunter muttered, "Passive-aggressive bastard. You didn't want to actually push to be main event, because then you'd feel bad for pushing MY match OUT of the main event. But do you realize what that meant, Shawn? I had to FOLLOW your match! That's how I knew for a FACT that you killed the crowd and were impossible to follow!"

"Wait, wait, wait." McMahon reentered the conversation. "If I'm following this correctly…Shawn, you went out and made the DECICSION to have a classic match JUST to make a statement that you and 'Taker should have been main event?"

At Shawn's sheepish nod, the chairman blinked in astonishment. "You know you're TOO good in the ring when…" he added sarcastically to himself under his breath. Then again, if there ever was someone who was good enough to be able to almost literally choose to have a classic match whenever he wanted, it was Shawn.

Meanwhile, the Showstopper in question threw his arms up in exasperation. "Well, I…it was 'Mania, with Mr. Wrestlemania against The Undertaker and his streak! Two legends who have made their name on Wrestlemania! Of course I thought it should have been main event, title match or no title match!" Then he turned to Hunter. "If it makes you feel better, Hunt, I wasn't doing it against you, and I would have probably stolen the show anyway."

Hunter grinned and threw his arm around Shawn. "There's the arrogance we all used to know and love."

Vince laughed and patted Shawn on the shoulder. "No matter how much you've changed, that little bit of you always stays the same, huh?"

Shawn rolled his eyes. "I'm working on it, okay?"

Hunter shook his head frantically, his arm tightening a bit around Shawn. "Never change, my friend. You just wouldn't be…_you_ without at least a dusting of arrogance."

Vince nodded in agreement. "Besides, it doesn't really count as arrogance if you're actually as good as you think or say you are. Then it's just fact. Either way, if it gives me matches like the one you and 'Taker had at the last 'Mania, I'm not complaining."

Shawn couldn't quite suppress his smile at their words. "Yeah, yeah, yeah…" Then he attempted to push at Hunter, who had started to mess with him by letting most of his weight rest on the arm that was around Shawn's shoulders, and by extension, rest on Shawn himself. "Get off me, you brute!"

Hunter put on a dramatic hurt pout. "What, I can't put my arm on my best friend's shoulders anymore?"

"Not when you're putting a lot of unnecessary pressure on a surgically repaired back!"

Shawn pushed at him again, but this time it wasn't necessary because Hunter had immediately pulled his arm back at the mention of Shawn's back, looking slightly guilty.

Vince shook his head at their antics. "We still haven't addressed the issue of who's going to be presenting the Slammy for the Match of the Year."

Hunter and Shawn glanced at each other, and Vince was slightly amused as the two shared the type of quick but silent conversation that only best friends could achieve before Shawn gave a small shrug and nod to Hunter, who then turned and shrugged at Vince. "I'll do it, Vince. Why not? I mean, as I said a few moments ago, when Shawn and 'Taker are announced the winners I can vouch for how good it was because I had to follow it."

"Good enough for me." Approved Vince. "Although, if by some fluke one of the other matches win go with it and don't diss that match by saying you think Shawn Michaels vs. The Undertaker should have won." He warned.

"I won't." Promised Hunter.

With that, Vince left to speak with Dennis Miller and get him settled in to be guest host, leaving the two Degenerates alone once more.

"Taker isn't going to want to come out and accept the Slammy with you, is he?" questioned Hunter.

Shawn shook his head. "No, he texted me once we were officially nominated for it last night after TLC…said if it was ok with me, he'd rather not…you know how he is about staying in character and all that."

Hunter nodded.

Suddenly Shawn's eyes lit up with the familiar light that appeared whenever he thought up a good angle for the show. "I have an idea! You know how Vince was throwing around the idea of me and 'Taker going one more time at Wrestlemania 26? What if I started to set it up tonight? You know, during my acceptance speech mention how I didn't manage to break The Streak but still had a good match…then when I'm about to walk away from the podium come back and say, 'I know I can beat you, Taker. You know it and I know it.' And then challenge him to a match at 'Mania again!"

"Great idea, buddy. I'm sure Vince and 'Taker would love it." Hunter agreed.

"I gotta go talk to them…good thing 'Taker's here tonight." Shawn took off out of the room leaving Hunter shaking his head and laughing.

Shawn really could get to be like a little kid when he got an idea, even if it was only for one segment.

Like Vince had said earlier: the more he changed, the more he stayed the same.


End file.
